What are the benefits of providing text alternatives for non-text content?
Everyone should have equal access to content online. Text alternatives help make this a reality by ensuring everyone can understand and interact with digital content, regardless of their ability.
Overview
Icons should only be used if their message is completely clear to everyone. Adding text labels can help to improve clarity.
”Icons should be simple, easy to understand, and consistent. Icons almost always require familiarity in order to be useful. Across cultures and languages, they can be misinterpreted. In many cases, adjacent text is helpful. “(WebAim)
Evidence and further readings
Here you can find a list of references to dive deeper on the subject.